Originally Posted by
GhostSS
... comments about needing racks and panniers for commuting to work....like, what the heck do you need to carry to work that requires it? It's a commute, not a tour...
Well, I'm not an especially high maintenance kind of person, but I carry (in my panniers):
Bag of clothing (underwear, socks, shirt, tie) to go with suits pre-positioned at work
Bike cover (keeps rain and sun off of saddle/rubber)
Lunch box (pack snacks and lunch daily)
Flat repair gear (bead tool, spare tube, tire levers, flat kit)
Laptop/sleeve (sometimes)
Food items (Coffee, Cereal, supplies, etc., sometimes)
Spare outerwear (sometimes, seasonal, for example, rainwear if forecast says definite rain, or lighter jacket if it's 17 degrees in the morning, and 47 in the afternoon)
Those require two panniers, lightly packed. Every day...